Bold, collaborative action on tough regional issues tackled at
CivicAction’s ELNstudio 2011

December 1, 2011 – Toronto – CivicAction’s Emerging Leaders Network (ELN) today hosted 150+ rising leaders who work in Toronto region governments, businesses and non-profits at its third annual ELNstudio event, held at the Corus Quay. The day-long ELNstudio saw civic-minded leaders working collaboratively to identify and commit to new strategic actions on tough issues and big opportunities.

Seven breakout groups committed to pursuing new civic actions to:

1. Better connect the region by launching an effort to build public awareness and support for investment in transit and developing a charter to enhance mobility;
2. Enable starting employees and newcomers to get and retain good jobs through mentorships and investments in their development;
3. Bring innovative, international ideas to the region through an ideas competition;
4. Find new ways to engage a broad and diverse group of residents in an ambitious effort to transition neighbourhoods to carbon neutrality;
5. Leverage the opportunity of the 2015 Pan/Para Pan Am Games to achieve social legacies for the region;
6. Make municipal elections more relevant, fairer and participatory by creating opportunities for citizens to experiment with new voting systems through the media and on campuses; and
7. Develop a neighbourhood strategy to inspire cohesion and share information to build healthier neighbourhoods in the region and beyond.

John Tory, Chair of CivicAction, welcomed the group “to one of the most important events on the CivicAction calendar.” Tory said, “I am excited by the diversity, expertise and passion represented in this room. It fills me with hope, as in past years, that the outcomes will be bold, different, and immensely helpful.”

The group was thrilled with the announcement of CivicAction’s new CEO, Mitzie Hunter, who first became active in the innovative regional civic leadership organization in 2002, and is currently Co-Chair of ELN.

“It’s terrific to see one of our own take on this important role,” said Andrew Graham, Senior Director, Corporate Development at George Weston Limited and Co-Chair of ELN’s Toronto Homecoming initiative. “It’s inspiring to see leaders from ELN be selected for key leadership positions and sends a clear message that collaborative leadership isn’t just valuable – it’s essential to address the region’s challenges.”

Highlights of the day included ELN members pitching city building projects to an audience of 150+ emerging and senior leaders, and Dave Meslin’s keynote igniting a sense of optimism and mobilizing people to create change.

ELN’s ambitious 2012 agenda reflects the momentum of a thriving group.  ELN Co-Chairs Mitzie Hunter and Donna Lindell will step down from their roles with the ELN in January after five years leading the initiative. Three new co-chairs will be announced in January 2012.

“Today’s ELNstudio reinforces this diverse network’s commitment to raise awareness, contribute new perspectives and ideas, and take action that accelerates the region’s economic and social prosperity,” said Lindell.

-30-

About CivicAction

CivicAction is a multi-sectoral coalition of thousands of civic leaders committed to acting collectively to tackle tough issues and big opportunities facing the Toronto region. CivicAction’s Greater Toronto Summits bring leaders from all walks of life together to assess the region’s strengths and challenges and to identify priority areas and opportunities for attention. In the periods between Summits, CivicAction takes a role in incubating innovative initiatives designed to galvanize action in these priority areas.

CivicAction’s current initiatives are aimed at: making the Toronto region flourish through environmental action and innovation (Greening Greater Toronto); creating a leadership landscape that better reflects the region’s diversity (DiverseCity: the Greater Toronto Leadership Project in partnership with Maytree); and connecting and supporting rising city-builders (the Emerging Leaders Network).  For more information, visit www.civicaction.ca.

About the ELN

ELN is a diverse network of more than 450 emerging civic leaders committed to advancing the Toronto region.  ELN plays the role of an “action incubator” by convening leaders, catalyzing action, offering mentorship and providing organizational support to the projects that are developed and are being implemented. Actions that are affiliated with ELN have been collaboratively developed by diverse teams of volunteer members of the network, and offer a specific and unique solution to a challenge facing the Toronto region.  For details, visit www.elnonline.ca.

For more information, please contact:

Rebecca Geller

Communications and Events Officer, CivicAction

rebecca.geller@civicaction.ca

(416) 309-4480 x 509 (work)

(416) 992-4966 (cell)